Wheat and Diabetes: Why It’s Time to Make a Change

Wheat, found in everyday foods like bread, pasta, cereal, pizza, and even cakes, is a staple in the Western diet. But what many people don’t know is that modern wheat is drastically different from what it used to be. In the 1950s, scientists crossbred wheat to help combat global hunger, especially in countries like Africa, Mexico, and India. This effort was led by Dr. Norman Borlaug, whose work on developing high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties earned him the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. His innovations were part of the Green Revolution, which helped solve food shortages.

However, there was a downside to this crossbreeding. By the 1970s, hybrid wheat, engineered to grow shorter and produce more grain, spread worldwide. By the 1990s, it was in nearly every loaf of bread and bowl of cereal. The problem? This new wheat wasn’t tested for long-term safety. It was assumed to be like traditional wheat, but it turned out to be high in a starch called amylopectin A—a starch that causes blood sugar levels to spike faster and higher than even refined sugar! This has led to some serious health consequences, especially for those at risk of diabetes.

We’re now seeing the effects of modern wheat on our health. The starch in this wheat, amylopectin A, breaks down incredibly fast in the body, sending a surge of glucose into the bloodstream. This forces the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin to handle the sugar overload, which can eventually lead to insulin resistance—a key factor in type 2 diabetes.

What’s happening is that modern wheat contains a type of starch that spikes blood sugar even faster than sugar itself. Amylopectin A causes a dramatic rise in blood sugar, followed by a sharp drop, which leaves your body stuck in a cycle of energy highs and lows.

To understand how different starches affect blood sugar, let’s compare. Amylopectin B, found in bananas and potatoes, also raises blood sugar quickly, but not as rapidly as amylopectin A. These foods are still high on the glycemic index but don't cause as extreme a spike.

On the other hand, Amylopectin C, found in legumes like lentils, chickpeas, and beans, works differently. It provides a slow, steady rise in blood sugar, followed by a gentle drop—giving your body a consistent supply of energy without the harmful spikes and crashes. The chart below will show how these three types of amylopectins affect your blood sugar in very different ways.

The glycemic index (GI) is a tool used to measure how quickly a food raises blood sugar. The lower the number, the slower and steadier the release of glucose. This is especially important for people with diabetes or those at risk. Let’s look at how wheat stacks up against other foods:

• Refined sugar sits at a GI of 59.
  
• White bread, white pasta, and white cereal are even higher, at 69.
  
• But here’s the shocking part: whole wheat bread and cereal have a GI of 72.

How can whole wheat, often marketed as a healthy option, be worse than sugar? The answer lies in amylopectin A. Whole wheat may contain more fiber and nutrients than refined grains, but it also has more of this starch, which makes it a poor choice for anyone managing or looking to prevent diabetes. It’s time to change the narrative around whole grains and recognize that, when it comes to blood sugar control, wheat is part of the problem.

I once spoke with a woman who had been struggling with type 2 diabetes for two years. She followed all the conventional advice—she ate whole wheat bread, pasta, and cereal religiously. Despite this, her blood sugar levels kept rising, and every six months, her doctor increased her insulin dosage. She couldn’t understand why her efforts weren’t paying off. After learning about the glycemic impact of wheat, she realized that her well-meaning choices were contributing to her worsening condition.

Her story is not unique. Many people trying to control their blood sugar feel they are doing everything right, yet their diabetes worsens. The problem lies in the advice itself. While health authorities continue to push whole grains, the reality is that wheat, whether refined or whole, is spiking blood sugar and exacerbating the diabetes crisis.

It’s not surprising that wheat remains such a staple in our diets, despite its clear connection to rising diabetes rates. The wheat industry is massive, especially in countries like the United States and Australia. Farmers benefit financially from growing hybridized wheat because it produces up to ten times more grain per acre than traditional varieties. With such high profits, there’s little incentive to question the health impacts of wheat, let alone encourage consumers to reduce their intake.

But the effects are clear: the explosion in hybridized wheat production coincides with a surge in type 2 diabetes rates across the globe. And it’s not just the refined sugar in processed foods causing these issues—wheat is a major contributor to the problem.